George Lwandamina slipped to a defeat in only his second game in charge of the Chipolopolo. This has come a week after Zambia failed to beat minnows Guinea Bissau in the Africa Cup qualifiers last week.
Many fans would have loved to see how the Chipolopolo faired but didn’t get that chance. However, Ba Zed at Sam Nujoma Stadium who witnessed the action from the terraces had this to write about the match…..
My opinion is that these ‘minnows’ have upped their game, they play well coordinated football and are very pacy. They did not turn-up with any respect for Chipolopolo. They may have spent a longer time together and they played with self belief.
The first half was really a tight contest even though Zambia was a better side especially that we were a goal up.
Zambia’s defence was solid. The Bronson Chama – Chris Munthali partnership at the heart of defence was a marvel.
Namibia’s frontline looked very dull. Fackson Kapumbu made overlaps and joined attack wisely. Munthali was exceptional (not slow at all). Neither was Donashano Malama the usual slow wing back.
Mtonga commanded midfield very very well, stamping authority as you would love a skipper to do. Allan Mukuka made excellent runs but the final delivery left much to be desired.
Jackson Mwanza had a presence in the penalty box, especially aerially, forcing free kicks in decent places. This culminated into a set piece, Winstone Kalengo scoring a wonder header.
In the second half Zambia was on the back foot, the Namibians were pacy. Zambia could not string passes. Namibians closed the spaces.
The wing on which Allan operated was closed. Our midfield was overrun. The defence had lapses with severe panic defending.
Paul Katema playing at right back even made things worse. He was not decisive with the ball and was shaky (was he played out of position). Malama went to central mid when Justine who struggled for most of the game.
Jimmy Ndhlovu did not come to the party. Subs didn’t help.
Another Chipolopolo fan wrote…..
Few observations Namibia 2 Zambia 1
My name is Chamz one of the first bloggers on Zamfoot. In the early days before, Twitter, Francis of Zamfoot would sms me results and lineups when Zambia was playing. I remember the early days debates with Justice, Sibs, Vincent of Chingola and many other old timers. I am just glad Zamfoot has grown. I am based in Namibia and I was at stadium. I know another blogger (Ba Zed at Sam Nujoma) based here in Windhoek did a live commentary, I have to agree with him, its not easy to do that and its time we started appreciating Zamfoot for the free service.
Here are my quick thoughts:
*Keeper, our keeper to be honest had nothing much to do apart from picking the ball from the back of the net. There was nothing much, he could do.
*Defence, Bronson and Munthali were solid so was Kondwani. The problem was right back, Namibia used that wing in the second half and or the goals came from that side. Lwandamina did nothing until Namibia had scored the second goal that was when he replaced that defender (sorry I don’t know his name.
*Allan Mukuka was fine but not effective. He runs and runs but fine product is lacking, he is more like Theo of Arsenal.
*Strike force. We need better strikers and next time Lwandimina should not play with one up front. When we pushed forward, most of the attacks yielded nothing.
*Most of our midfielders for all their skills run and run like headless chicken.
*Our coach seem to only have one game plan and when Namibian got wind of it in the second half, the coach had no other ideas. His three changes did not change anything. These are the days I miss HR.
*Team, the team should learn to appreciate supporters. After the game, they just ignored pastor Makembo and the rest of the supporters and just walked off. Even when we followed them to the bus, the guys were just aloof.
*Namibia. Namibia has found a generation of good players and are very motivated after Cosafa win. Players were paid 75 000 rands each.
*Return leg. Zambia will win by playing a very tactical game in Zambia and making sure the stop, Namibia wing play.
These are my thoughts.
Ba Chamz Pa Windhoek
where is our problem coaches o players. These r local players we 2 takeover fro pipo we cal old legs.
kalusha is a problem, where is new coach
This guy called Paul Katema is not a national team material!!the chap is useless!!our local coaches just like to be insulted bcoz a normal coach cant be using such players like Malama,Katema,etc!!
new coach is needed fast, chicken don’t know what he is doing,nonsense.
this small boy called katema is not a football player at all ,am on record saying this over and over again.when the new coach comes he wont be anywhere near.he must be a son of someone at FAZ.rubbish lwandamina
Fire the bagger -stupid chicken.
thats how Ghana felt wen we beat them twice in a row. as much as we call Namibia a minnow. thats how the ghanains view us also
Hahahahahahahahaha U ARE FUNNY BUDDY..
AND I LIKE THAT–Kwaaaaaaak!!
Back with no ideas but Ghana haunting him. Ghana denied you for ever going to the World Cup. Haunted by the ghost
While aren’t we using the U23 side so that the can be groomed to became main team in future?
Our main problem is, we don’t have quality players playing in our local league. Consistency is our biggest cancer. On this one our coach could be excused. Its like choosing bad eggs from a basket to make them good ones. These are the same players who embarrass our great Nation at senior level. Faz should recall Jacob Mulenga,Kola Sakhu, Mbesuma and Felix. Has of late we don’t have quality players maybe we were to fast to integrate young stars, as such we need to bring radical change.
I agree with you Germiston South.Our league is unable to produce quality feed for the National team.Our current crop of young players need more time to be intergrated at such levels.We just have to rething the whole building strtaegy and bring back some old players.Jacob,Mbesuma,Felix,Kola still have some thing in their legs to help with this transition.
Just like I thought, our dear sports minister jumped the gun and raised everyone’s hopes about a new coach even going as far as giving a time frame (last week) and yet here we are in the new week and SQUAT!!!!!!!!!
What is going on with our soccer, how is it even possible to take such a slump that Namibia are even now at par with us?
Lets just accept it, we are still on our downward spiral free fall, wake me up when we hit the bottom. I no longer support this coachless minnows of Chipolopolo team.
Don’t worry brother. You will automatically wake up on your own when we hit the bottom as there will be a “big bang”.
Billy I just gave up on us, I no longer blame Kalusha because his exit is long overdue, coaching and tech bench also in shambles. I dont see us going into either CHAN or AFCON for now. Nope!… let me go back to my slumber and await our hard landing at the bottom! Good luck y’all die hard Chipolopolo supporters.
I hear you bro. I share your pain. It’s really sad what’s happening in Zambian football.
Kikikiikik Lolest baJudge
Bola yapa Z has gone into the intensive unit please you are toturing us!
Thank you for the analysis Chamz. In many ways what is happening to the national team is also reflected in the league. Just yesterday I watched two super league matches that ended in scoreless draws. It seems to me that the quality of our players had dropped and in particular the national team has lost two crucial numbers. These are number 8,the Charles Musonda and Isaac Chansa role and also the number 9, the Godfrey Chitalu and Stone Nyirenda role. Nathan Sinkala seemed to have the ability to play 8 but recent games have exposed his weakness. He had no ability to make the final pass and he is basically a wall when it comes to defence. The danger with walls is that they create free kicks and penalties. Hence the need to press poor Paul Katema into service.
In response to our lack of a finisher FAZ, has had to rush players like Patrick Ngoma and Patson Daka into the team.
Another worrying symptom of our football system is the lack of proper technical ability even among senior players. During the Guinea Bissau game I couldn’t help but notice that Kalaba couldn’t shoot accurately enough to save his life. Also his final ball was always that little bit too far for his team mates.
In my view George Lwandamina made all the right moves but the players simply failed to deliver.
Apart from the last sentence. 100% Agree with you.
I also watched part of the GBFC vs Nkwazi match but couldn’t finish as it was an eye sore. Tell you what, I slept while watching this pathetic league game. When I woke up, thank heavens the match was over. I saved my eyes watching that useless match. It was an eye sore indeed.
Zambia is just a poor country. It can’t even hire a coach
Loooooool,, THAT IS MY GOOD OLD JOHN
Errm!! SO JOHN THINKS ZAMBIA IS BROKE
WITH ALL YOUR CHIPOLOPOLO COPPER FACTORIES?
Lol AGAIN..
You can say that again, call Kalusha he has an answer to that.
Bronson Chama, Khondwani Mtonga, Justin Zulu, Winstone Kalengo, Donashano Malama, Fackson Kapumbu, jackson Mwanza, Jimmy Belleck Njobvu, are all good In the league, BUT they are not what we call ” National team Material” . It would have been better if we had used under 23 players with A few experienced ones. Bennedict Chepeshi( Better than Donashano At right back), Boyd Mkandawire ( better than both fackson and Mbola at left back), Kayawe Kapota, Jack Chirwa ( I have very high hopes for this boy) Salulani Phiri ( Can play basically all numbers on the pitch) Kelvin Mubanga< Charles Zulu, patson Daka ( at 17 he is better than Jimmy, Kalengo and Jackson Combined) Moses Phiri, Shadreck Malambo, Patrick Ngoma and the like. AND what about about Fred Tshimanga from Forest Rangers and Fashion Sakala From Brave Rangers?????
A wake up call.
What do you expect from these players? The earlier we realised that our players are below average, the better. The only players I have seen who can player against any team is Kalaba, Sinkala, Lubambo, Fwayo, Mweene and Chisamba. The rest are very useless and below average. We better get used to these losses.
I you look carefully the way our national team are playing, they are so amateurish and slow. It’s like big stone or rocks are tied to their legs. Ballu control is pathetic, they can’t run or string together 2 or 3 passes without losing the ball. Total nonsense.
Kalusha Allegedly Picks National Team Players – Multiple Sources
Zambia’s soccer president Kalusha Bwalya has allegedly been accused of heavy involvement in selecting national team players to an extent of drafting the final 11 during all competitive and non competitive assignments, multiple sources consulted by Zambia Reports have confirmed.
But some sources are wondering why Kalusha is being accused of selecting national team players now that the national team is going through a poor patch when such sentiments did not arise as Zambia ascended to the pinnacle of African football winning the 2012 Nations Cup.
Last week, Kalusha vehemently denied allegations he was involved in picking national team players.
But recent revelations from among players at all national team levels have confirmed Kalusha’s heavy hand in national team selection. The players state that most of the players are featured for purposes of marketing so that they earn lucrative contracts abroad.
The sources allege that Kalusha has been picking players for national duty since assuming administrative roles 12 years ago. The sources have challenged former national team coaches like Patrick Phiri, Herve Renard, Dario Bonetti and Honour Janza to publicly deny Kalusha never imposed players on them.
While some of the coaches are accomplices with Kalusha, the type of interference has often caused tension among players. It’s believed Kalusha is having a lot of say in the current national team.
George Lwandamina, the Zesco United coach currently in charge on an interim basis, is another figurehead, according to sources. Lee Kawanu, one of Kalusha’s boys and owner of Kafue Celtic, has had most of his players feature for the national team at both junior and senior national team levels.
Sources have told Zambia Reports that players like Red Arrows goalkeeper Ken Mumba, Patrick Ngoma and Patson Daka have direct or indirect links to Kalusha through his K-Stars or proxies like Kawanu.
“It’s big business but not taking our football anywhere,” one source remarked, adding; “This kind of selection is killing the game, the morale is down and the players are not happy.”
Kalusha has previously been known to take commissions from player transfer deals. Some soccer fans took him on last week on twitter challenging to disclose details of an alleged meeting at a Kitwe guest house Shebourne where Zambia’s first 11 for the match against Guinea Bissau was decided.
Lask week, Mumbi Chileshe asked @KalushaPBwalya, “why are you playing Patson Daka every game. Are those your instructions. Its making your office more unpopular.”
Kalusha Bwalya responded, “Faz has never, let me repeat has never and will never interfere in team selection. Coaches responsibility period.”
But Emmanuel K Zulu chipped in saying, “There is a verbatim of you giving instructions to the technical bench on team selection at Sherbourne.”
Mumbi Chileshe also insisted, “we know u are behind the team selection.”
But Kalusha was adamant in denying the accusations, “I am sure you are disappointed that the coaches are making the decisions. Not what you wanted to hear.”
Zambia yesterday lost 2-1 to Namibia in an African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier but FAZ spokesperson consoled the nation that the team had picked an important away goal rule which should suffice if the team wins 1-0 in the return leg.
This Article is from Zambia Reports Which is an Anti Kalu/FAZ site, just last week they reported that Erick Mwanza Had pocketed money from the Lubambo Musonda SALE and yet the boy was just their on Loan.. ITS ALL NONSENSE
Who told you it’s nonsense? There is some truth in some of their reporting. This FAZ executive is shit.
billy this is nonsense are a dog? to be believing such nonsense
You call me a dog @yati? Then you’re a dog cunt, twat. Your papa should have pulled out.
Iwe @Nyati chikkala chobe ulechindika abakalamba.
Zamfoot, the conduct of some bloggers leaves much to be desired. It seems of these chaps are kids indeed. Its amazing how some people go personal on certain comments that others blog. In particular this @nyati boy. Please do monitor him for insults. Some of us try as much as possible to be civil in the way we blog. Even if somebody does not believe in what I have posted, there is no need to call me a dog. Some of us are more than capable of unleashing unpalatable langauge, but we try to refrain.
@Billy don’t mind some amateurish bloggers like nyati who are Kalu’s Vuvuzela’s! his time will come to an end soon. thats how life is .
@Paradox: while judge joe Biden, Billy & the like minded are expressing forward looking ideas, what comes of Paradox? Beating Ghana twice which did not take ZAMBIA anywhere. How backward . Parsdox will not (or CANNOT) express/share an idea about the coaching problems faced by the CHIPOLOPOLO . What a man, paradox!!!’!!!
Ths half baked literate wallows in hatred which invariably has affected his thought processes. ZAMBIA NEEDS IDEAS TO COME OUT OF THE FOOTBALL DISASTER IN WHICH IT CURRENTLY FINDS ITSELF. Paradox missing when it comes to that.
Zambia should start from the grassroots. Soccer academies. Streamline the agent /player relationship – very ridiculous most ZAMBIAN players end up in Asia. European lower divisions are breeding grounds for higher laurels. In as much as l may fault the players, the agents are the major culprits. The agents will take any deal for their cut. They deal in volumes for small cuts to these Asian countries where the players get “missing”. Are the agents concerned ? NO, in so far as they make their small cut. THIS IS HAPPENING ALL OVER THE CONTINENT. Agyemang Badu, a Black Star player has just commented that most of the agents are fake (80%, he said). Could not be far from the truth. This happens at an alarming rate not only in football but also boxing. AFRICA WAKE UP. Tighten rules/regulations on this agent/player relationship.
WOOW!! –WHERE DID U HAVE THE IDIOLOGIES OF THE GOOD OLD —
(ALBERT EINSTEINS) THEORY?..THIS IS DEEP MR PARADOX..